Problems with Skype

It can happen to everyone. You have a problem with Skype.

So, what you do: you go to www.skype.com and try finding a solution. Too bad, you are the first one. So, you open a support ticket.

A few days later, you get a reply from them. Basically, there’s an Indian guy trying to answer your questions by clicking a pre-defined answer.

Our conversation, attached below.

Hello,

My firefox 3.5 has a _terrible_ slowdown on javascript actions, but it
also slows down other addons. Disabling the plugin and everything is
back again.

For your info: I notice this mainly, with the “FireGesture” addon
(javascript-based, it allows me to do gestures with my mouse and do
browser actions). The website it can be seen on, is www.mibbit.com, an
web-based AJAX IRC client. It takes 3 minutes to load and login _with_
the plugin, and 5 seconds _without_ the plugin.

Tom

After a few days, they replied.

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Skype Support.

We are sorry to hear that you are having problems with Skype

We have recently released an upgraded version of Skype 4.1.0.141 for
Windows that hopefully solves some of the difficulties you are
experiencing. Please upgrade to this version to begin troubleshooting
your problem. If it does not resolve your issue please reply back.

The latest Skype for Windows is available for download here:
http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/

With updating Skype, your Firewall needs a new rule in the exception
list. Even if the previous version of Skype is already in the exception
list, delete it and create a new rule for Skype.

If you have more than one Firewall each of your Firewalls will require a
rule allowing Skype to connect to the internet. Sometimes Firewalls
allow Skype to connect for a number of days before blocking it.

For firewall setup – http://www.skype.com/help/guides/firewall.html .

Please let us know if this has resolved the issue. Should you need more
assistance, feel free to contact us again; we will be glad to help.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

Davide

Skype Customer  Support

While I had already tried updating, I did it again. No luck with it. So, I nicely replied.

That was, obviously, the first thing I did. Skype plugin version 3.3.0.3789. Skype version 4.1.0.141. Firewalls obviously won’t matter, because it’s the plugin that slows down firefox. Thank you for the nice autoresponse, but you’ll have to do better. Go and try it yourself. Install firefox 3.5.1, update the browser plugin, and go to a page that uses ajax intensively, such as mibbit.com. Open 5 tabs in it, switch a few times, and you’ll notice a terrible slowdown. Disable the plugin, and the speed is back.

Tom

Sure, I was not 100% nice in my message, but it’s a customer service. Compared to other customers, I’m an angel.

Anyway, they replied.

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Skype Support.

We apologize for the delayed response, due to a recent increase in
inquiries it has taken longer to respond to you. Thank you for your
understanding and patience.

When you installed Skype, you also installed the Skype add-on for your
browser. The add-on turns phone numbers on websites into buttons which
you can click to call from Skype.

The problem that you described has been fixed in our latest Skype add-on
BETA which is available for download at this link
https://developer.skype.com/SkypeToolbars. The most updated add-on
versions are at the bottom of the page.

If you have already the add/on installed, click on the settings dropdown
on the menu bar, and click on “Manage Add-ons”.  Here you need to have
the add/on enabled.

Please do not hesitate to contact us again if you are still experiencing
difficulties after the upgrade

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

Davide

Skype Customer  Support

Problem has been fixed? Not really. So, again I replied :

Hello,

Problem still isn’t fixed. Did you even try it yourself?

Tom

Then, things started to get worse.

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Skype Support.

We are sorry to hear that you are still not satisfied with the quality
of your calls
after following our earlier instructions.

So here are some more suggestions to help resolve the issue:

Make sure you enable usage of secure connection protocols SSL3 and TLS
1.0. In Internet Explorer – Tool->  Internet Options->  Advanced. In
Mozilla Firefox Tools->  Options->  Advanced. Also make sure your browser
accepts cookies.

In some cases the problem is that the security settings of your browser
are set too high. Try to make them lower and try again.

Sometimes it helps, when you try a different browser, although our site
should work with all the browsers.

Let us know if the problem persists.

Best regards,

Davide

Skype Customer  Support

How stupid can someone be? Must have been a misclick. But, me being rather annoyed by that message, I replied.

Hello Skype Support/Davide,

Try reading my previous messages. I don’t have trouble accessing your sites.

Also, you could try using your keyboard (it’s the one with the alphabet on it) to type a message, instead of clicking an automated reply. You could also try updating to Firefox 3.5.3, and trying if you can indeed reproduce the bug. I have been able to do this on 3 computers, but it seems you haven’t even tried.

When I contact support, I expect to be helped. I don’t expect pre-typed responses that don’t even get close to the problem. I have a problem nobody had before, and there is no pre-defined reply for that.

Tom

PS: There is nothing wrong with my computer. There is nothing wrong with my internet connection. The problem is within Skype. (I’m a software engineer, I should know.)

But, again :

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Skype Support.

We are sorry to hear that you are still not satisfied with the quality
of your calls
after following our earlier instructions.

We are constantly improving the Skype quality.
However, if you cannot experience an excellent call using the versions
4.0 or 4.1, we recommend to revert to the previous version 3.8 with less
features and more stable with different systems.
Please find the version 3.8 at this link:
http://skype.com/go/getskype-accessibility or
Skype 4.0 available at http://www.oldapps.com/skype.php

Your feedback has been passed to our developers and we will work to
resolve the problem in the future Skype versions.
Please read our release note at
https://developer.skype.com/WindowsSkype/ReleaseNotes to know which
problems have been resolved in the newer versions

Should you need more assistance, feel free to contact us again; we will
be glad to help.

Best regards,

Davide

Skype Customer  Support

I decided that it would be easier to build my own VOIP app than to get an answer from this person. But, I tried.

Hello Skype Support/Davide,

This is going nowhere. Does Skype have a skype account I can call for technical support? Let me say this one more time: I do not have problems with call quality! I am reporting a BUG! in Skype, and not requesting help.

Tom

And:

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Skype Support.

We apologize for the delayed response. Our goal is to respond to all
customer e-mails within 72 hours, however due to a recent increase in
inquiries it has taken longer to respond to you.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

We do not have live phone support, most of our support is conducted by
e-mail. We do not plan to have live phone support in the near future but
we are gradually introducing live chat support, starting with our larger
users.

At present email support requests gives us time to deal with each
customer and each problem more thoroughly, because we have time to
search and develop the answers to different problems and to find out the
best solution. The best solutions are not always the fastest ones.

In order to solve your problem we need your help.
Could you please describe the problem (error) appeared in a more
detailed way, mentioning all steps to reproduce?
For example: “Double-click on the Skype icon, Skype opens nicely,
contacts are loaded, but an error appears.”

Thank you very much for your assistance and feedback, it is very
important for us.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

Davide

I was tired of this. We had been mailing for almost a month (Skype support is slow), without any luck.

Never mind. By the time you’ve fixed I can have my own SIP-software ready.

Oh, and I’d create a good support desk, not like this one.

Tom

By now, I have de-installed the Skype plugin.

Thank you, Skype support desk.

Tom